Low-Fat Creamy Chicken Broccoli Soup
Light Chicken Broccoli Soup Recipe – This soup is the perfect satisfying meal without all of the guilt! Packed with tender chicken, fresh broccoli, and a rich, creamy base, this soup delivers big on flavor while keeping things light. Whether you’re trying to eat healthier or just craving a comforting bowl of soup, this recipe is sure to become a favorite.
Why We Love This Low-Fat Chicken Broccoli Soup Recipe
This chicken broccoli soup is rich and creamy, with a smooth, satisfying texture. It tastes like a fresh broccoli cheese soup with chunks of hearty chicken in every spoonful. However, unlike its full-fat cousin, this satiating sensation is under 300 calories per bowl and contains less than 7 grams of carbohydrates. It’s also gluten-free! Not too shabby!
The key to making a luxurious creamy soup base, without fatty cream, is to stir in a little fat free cream cheese. As the cream cheese melts into the broth, it provides all the richness of a much heavier soup, without the added guilt!
Skinny Creamy Chicken Broccoli Soup is quick to prepare in just over 30 minutes, and will make everyone at the dinner table smile, kids and adults alike! It’s also a fabulous leftover. I like to rewarm this soup on cold winter days with a spinach salad on the side.
Ingredients You Need
- Onion – chopped
- Garlic – minced
- Butter – or olive oil
- Chicken breast – boneless, skinless or rotisserie chicken for an easy shortcut
- Chicken broth – low sodium, or chicken stock
- Dry sherry – just a little bit, enhances the flavor
- Dijon mustard – adds tangy flavor
- Cornstarch – helps thicken, flour can also be used
- Smoked paprika – or regular paprika
- Red pepper – flakes
- Cream cheese – fat-free
- Broccoli florets – small, bite-sized pieces
- Salt and pepper – season to taste
- Garnishes – shredded cheddar cheese, chopped scallions, fresh parsley
How to Make Light Chicken Broccoli Soup
- Place the butter in a 4-quart soup pot and set over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the onions and garlic. Sauté for 3-4 minutes.
- Place chicken breasts in the pot. Add the broth, sherry, Dijon mustard, corn starch, smoked paprika, crushed red pepper, and salt and pepper.
- Bring the broth to a boil. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes to cook the chicken.
- Remove the chicken breast with tongs. Then whisk the cream cheese into the broth. Use two forks to shred the chicken.
- Add the broccoli florets and the shredded chicken to the soup. Stir well and turn off the heat. The small broccoli florets will cook quickly in the hot liquid.
- Taste, then salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm with garnishes like shredded cheese, scallions, and fresh parsley.
Get the Complete (Printable) Oven Baked Pork Chops Recipe + Video Below. Enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
If desired, garnish the warm broccoli cheddar soup with a handful of low-fat shredded cheese, chopped scallions, fresh parsley, or whatever your heart desires!
This rich, comforting soup also pairs wonderfully with a variety of sides. Serve it in a honey wheat bread bowl, or with garlic knots, or the best yeast rolls for dipping. For a lighter option, enjoy it along side roasted vegetables or an Israeli chopped salad.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Frozen broccoli works just as well. Just make sure to thaw and drain it before adding it to the soup.
If you’d like a thicker consistency, you can whisk in a slurry of 1 tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons of water, or simply let the soup simmer a bit longer to reduce.
Yes! Swap out the chicken broth for vegetable broth and omit the chicken. You can add extra vegetables like carrots, celery, cauliflower, or potatoes to make it more hearty.
Sharp cheddar is the traditional choice, but feel free to mix in other cheeses like Gouda, Monterey Jack, or Parmesan for extra flavor.
Looking for More Low-Calorie Soup Recipes? Be Sure to Try:
Get the Complete (Printable) Oven Baked Pork Chops Recipe + Video Below. Enjoy!
Low-Fat Creamy Chicken Broccoli Soup
Video
Ingredients
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons dry sherry
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 4 ounces fat-free cream cheese, cut into cubes
- 3 cups small fresh broccoli florets
- Salt and pepper
- Possible garnishes: Low fat shredded cheese, chopped scallions, fresh parsley
Instructions
- Place the butter in a 4-quart soup pot and set over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the onions and garlic. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring to make sure the garlic doesn’t burn.
- Place the whole chicken breasts at the bottom of the pot. Add the broth, sherry, Dijon mustard, corn starch, smoked paprika, crushed red pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper.
- Bring the broth to a boil. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes to cook the chicken.
- Remove the chicken breast with tongs. Then add in the cream cheese. Whisk to melt the cream cheese into the broth. Then use two forks to shred the chicken.
- Add the broccoli florets and the shredded chicken to the soup. Stir well and turn off the heat. The small broccoli florets will cook quickly in the hot broth.
- Taste, then salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm.
Hi !!Thankyou for the good recipes !! Happy holidays to you and your families
This soup is delicious! I added cauliflower chopped small and a cup of superfood blend veggies. I cannot wait to reheat this for lunch today.
I added chopped summer squash and added 3 Diced Portabella mushrooms. It was delicious.
Tasted great. Didn’t have sherry. Didn’t miss it. Yummy. Didn’t even need to add shredded Cheese at the end. A win.
The smoked paprika is missing from the list of ingredients!
Hi Michael,
Thanks for pointing that out so we could fix it. We are in the middle of a recipe format change and there have been some glitches.
My family isn’t dairy free because of allergies. Ha don’t anyone ever made this with coconut milk? Or any other variations?